BTS’s V Wins “Best Music Winter” Award at 2025 The Fact Music Awards in Macao

Global Recognition for Taehyung’s Winter-Themed Music

BTS member V, whose real name is Kim Taehyung, has added another milestone to his illustrious career by winning the “Best Music Winter” award at the 2025 The Fact Music Awards, held in Macao. The accolade honors his artistic achievements with winter-themed music, which has resonated globally and achieved record-breaking recognition on the Billboard Holiday Hot 100 chart. His three consecutive songs securing high positions on the seasonal chart marked an unprecedented feat by a K-pop soloist, solidifying his role as a global cultural icon.

The win highlights V’s unique ability to intertwine emotional depth, atmospheric production, and seasonally inspired themes into music that humanizes the cold season and brings warmth to millions of listeners worldwide.

A Distinctive Career Achievement

Though BTS has collectively earned dozens of awards over the years, V’s solo achievement illustrates both his personal artistry and the way K-pop has fused with global seasonal soundtracks. Unlike traditional pop tracks that dominate during the winter months, typically by Western artists known for festive ballads or Christmas classics, V’s works brought a distinctly Korean influence into an international music space that has rarely seen Asian solo artists at the forefront.

By winning the “Best Music Winter” category, V is not only celebrated for his success as a musician but also for pioneering a niche genre crossover that appeals across age groups and national markets. This specific recognition underscores his mastery of mood-driven production, as well as his ability to evoke nostalgia and emotional presence in listeners during a season culturally tied to celebration, family, and reflection.

Historical Context of The Fact Music Awards

The Fact Music Awards, first launched in 2019, have become a significant annual event in the Korean music industry. The awards aim to honor K-pop’s global reach while highlighting achievements that transcend regional boundaries. Unlike many award ceremonies primarily judged by industry professionals, the event balances fan votes with quantitative data, including digital chart performance and album sales.

The decision to host the 2025 ceremony in Macao was a reflection of the city’s rising influence as a cultural hub in Asia. Over recent years, Macao has increasingly positioned itself as a host for conferences, music festivals, and entertainment showcases, leveraging its mix of traditional heritage and modern infrastructure to appeal to international audiences. For V, receiving his award in Macao carried additional symbolic weight, emphasizing his multifaceted connection to broader Asian audiences beyond Korea’s borders.

Billboard Success and Global Resonance

V’s prominence on the Billboard Holiday Hot 100 over three consecutive releases mades throughout late 2024 and early 2025. Each song delivered a mix of warmth, melancholy, and seasonal imagery, connecting with listeners at a time when holiday-themed music is typically dominated by Western pop legends. His presence alongside longstanding staples of the chart marked a seismic shift in the musical landscape.

For decades, the Billboard Holiday charts have been dominated by artists such as Mariah Carey and Wham!, whose festive anthems recur annually. V’s entry into this canon disrupted the pattern, introducing millions of dedicated BTS fans, as well as casual listeners unfamiliar with K-pop, to Korean lyricism and production styles that break away from conventional holiday formulas.

His use of soft vocals, orchestral layering, and introspective lyricism carved out a unique scene in global markets. Streaming data from platforms like Spotify and Apple Music showed massive playlist additions and repeat listening during peak holiday months, proving his sustainability within the winter music cycle.

The Economic Ripple Effect

The award and the music that earned it carry implications reaching beyond artistry. V’s winter-themed releases contributed significantly to the economic strength of K-pop exports during one of the music industry’s most lucrative quarters. Seasonal songs generate long-term revenue streams, since music tied to annual celebrations typically earns consistent re-listens for years, if not decades.

Merchandising connected to his winter releases also sold at record rates. Fans flocked to limited-edition vinyls, holiday-themed concert merchandise, and collector’s items tied specifically to the success of these tracks. In addition, his music influenced tourism and the cultural economy. Several regions in South Korea reported increased visits to seasonal exhibitions featuring V-inspired design elements, showing how music awards bolster not only the performer’s prestige but also surrounding industries.

Analysts forecast that this recognition will further strengthen South Korea’s standing as a global exporter of cultural products, reinforcing the “K-wave,” or Hallyu, that has already transformed music, fashion, television, and film markets globally.

Comparisons Across Music Markets

While many Western artists historically dominate holiday music, V has carved out a place comparable to the likes of Michael Bublé, whose career sustained long-lasting recognition through Christmas-centered releases. Yet the difference lies in V’s ability to cultivate emotional storytelling that relies less on festive imagery and more on universal sentiments of longing, warmth, and memories during winter.

This has made his music accessible to both international fans and those outside cultural traditions of Christmas celebrations. His success mirrors the increasing trend of non-Western artists entering markets once thought to be niche or regionally bound. For example, Latin musicians have transformed the summer music scene with tropical rhythms, while African artists continue to dominate global charts with Afrobeat. In a similar vein, Taehyung may well be paving the way for Korean and Asian musicians to establish lasting ownership of the winter music market.

Public Reaction and Fan Celebrations

In the hours following the announcement in Macao, social media platforms exploded with global fan celebrations. Hashtags linked to Taehyung’s award trended across platforms in countries ranging from South Korea and Japan to Brazil and the United States. Fans shared personal stories of how his winter releases provided comfort through difficult times, underscoring the emotional resonance his music has achieved.

Clips of his acceptance speech spread quickly, with videos amassing millions of views within a day. International fans praised his humility and artistic vision, while Korean media emphasized the cultural pride in seeing a local artist reshape the global music industry’s winter soundscape. Macao itself saw a noticeable surge in on-the-ground attendance from international fans who traveled specifically for the ceremony, boosting the city’s reputation as a destination for large-scale entertainment.

A Defining Moment in V’s Solo Career

Though he continues to work as a member of BTS, V’s rise as an individual artist has become increasingly evident. The solo award at The Fact Music Awards represents his ability to stand independently while still aligning with the group’s broader legacy. Even as BTS explores individual projects during transitional phases of their career, the members’ continued presence in global music awards demonstrates the collective and individual strength of their artistry.

For Taehyung, the “Best Music Winter” win illustrates not just industry recognition but also his growing influence as a soloist who reshapes expectations for seasonal music worldwide. His achievement confirms the impact of Korean artistry beyond K-pop’s energetic mainstream into more nuanced, reflective genres.

Looking Ahead

Industry experts predict that V’s success will encourage more K-pop soloists and groups to explore winter-themed releases in hopes of capturing seasonal markets. Upcoming holiday seasons may see a rise in songs crafted with emotional resonance rather than purely festive cheer. Such shifts could permanently broaden what it means to have a “holiday hit.”

V’s contribution to this evolution cements his influence within both the Korean and international music industry. His recognition at the 2025 The Fact Music Awards marks a cultural milestone: winter music is no longer geographically limited but global in creation, performance, and reception.

As the awards came to a close in Macao, it became clear that beyond the flashing lights and applause, the story of Taehyung’s winter music achievement reverberates far deeper—showcasing how a season marked by tradition and repetition has been revitalized by one of Korea’s most versatile voices.